Notice of Race Merlin Rocket Silver Tiller Open Meeting Flying 15 Open Meeting Flying 15 Classic and Silver Inland Championships 12th & 13th June 2021

The organising authority is Grafham Water Club, the Merlin Rocket Owners Association and the UK Flying 15 Class Association. 1. RULES 1.1. The event will be governed by rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing 2021 - 2024. 1.2. COVID STATEMENT - All sailors, support persons and authorised guests must comply with both Government rules and GWSC COVID-19 Operating Procedures available at: https://www.grafham.org/covid-19-operating-procedures.html Competitors and support persons shall comply with any reasonable request from an event official. Failure to comply may be misconduct. Reasonable actions by event officials to implement COVID-19 guidance, protocols or legislation, even if they later prove to have been unnecessary, are not improper actions or omissions. 2. SAILING INSTRUCTIONS 2.1. The Sailing Instructions will be available on the Club Web Site at https://webcollect.org.uk/grafham/category/open-events-1 by 20:00 on Saturday 5th June. 3. COMMUNICATION 3.1. The official online notice board is located at https://www.grafham.org/online- noticeboard.html. 3.2. From the first warning signal until the end of the last race of the day, except in an emergency, a boat shall not make voice or data transmissions and shall not receive voice or data communication that is not available to all boats. 4. ELIGIBILITY AND ENTRY 4.1. The event is open to all boats of the Merlin Rocket and Flying 15 classes. 4.2. Entries for the Flying 15 Classic and Silver Inland Championships must satisfy the criteria specified by their Class Association and published here. 4.3. Boats may enter the event by completing the online entry form at https://webcollect.org.uk/grafham/category/open-events-1 together with the required fee by midnight on Wednesday 9th June 2021. 4.4. To be considered an entry in the event, a boat shall complete all registration requirements and pay all fees.

210521 merlin f15 nor v4 Page 1 4.5. Late entries from may be accepted by completing the online entry form before midnight on Friday 11th June https://webcollect.org.uk/grafham/category/open-events-1 . 4.6. Grafham Water Sailing Club reserves the right to refuse late entries from boats sailed by visitors on safety or operational grounds. 5. FEES 5.1. Entry fees are as follows: 5.1.1. boats sailed by visitors will be £43. 5.1.2. boats helmed by a GWSC member, who has a registered boat at GWSC, will be £5. 5.1.3. an additional late entry supplement of £5 per boat will apply for visitor entries or payments received after midnight on Wednesday 9th June 2021. 5.2. Boats competing in the event may sail on Friday 11th June at no extra cost but must have entered the event and register at the Office before doing so. 6. CREW LIMITATIONS Class rules apply. 7. ADVERTISING Boats may be required to display advertising chosen and supplied by the organizing authority. 8. QUALIFYING SERIES AND FINAL SERIES – Does not apply 9. SCHEDULE 9.1. There is no registration process, and no event documentation will be issued during the event. 9.2. There is no scheduled equipment inspection or event measurement. 9.3. Dates of Racing Date Class Number of races Races per day Races per day in series Scheduled Maximum Merlin Rocket Saturday 12 & Flying 15 Open 6 3 Saturday 4 Sunday 13 June Flying 15 Classic 3 Sunday & Silver 9.4. At the discretion of the Class Representatives and the Principal Race Officer race 4 may be brought forward to Saturday to allow for any inclement weather forecasts. This decision will be announced on the Official Notice Board at least one hour before the first warning signal. 9.5. The scheduled time of the warning signal for the first race each day is 11:57 Saturday and 10:27 Sunday. Subsequent scheduled races for the day will be sailed back-to-back with the first race. 9.6. On the last scheduled day of racing no warning signal will be made after 15:00. 10. EQUIPMENT INSPECTION 10.1. Each boat may be required to produce or verify the existence of a valid measurement certificate. 10.2. Inspection or measurement may take place at any time except when racing. 11. CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT 11.1. RRS40.1 shall apply at all times when afloat. 12. VENUE 12.1. A site plan showing camping, parking and slipways is shown in Appendix 1. 210521 merlin f15 nor v4 Page 2 13. COURSES 13.1. The courses to be sailed will be selected from Triangle/Sausage/Triangle, Sausage/Triangle/Sausage and Windward/Leeward. 13.2. It is expected that the Merlin Rocket fleet will start first and will probably have a separate windward for their fleet only. 14. PENALTY SYSTEM 14.1. RRS 44.1 applies. 15. SCORING 15.1. (a) When fewer than four races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of her races scores. (b) When four or more races have been completed, a boats series score will be the total of her race scores excluding her worst score. 15.2. RRS 90.3e shall apply.

16. SUPPORT PERSON VESSELS 16.1. Support vessels shall not be allowed. 17. 17, 18, 19, 20 DO NOT APPLY 21. DATA PROTECTION 21.1. The GWSC data protection policy can be found at https://www.grafham.org/wp- content/uploads/_pdfs/Club%20Documents/Privacy-Notice.pdf 22. RISK STATEMENT Rule 3 of the Racing Rules of Sailing states: ‘The responsibility for a boat's decision to participate in a race or to continue racing is hers alone.’

Sailing is by its nature an unpredictable sport and therefore inherently involves an element of risk. By taking part in the event, each competitor agrees and acknowledges that:

(a) They are aware of the inherent element of risk involved in the sport and accept responsibility for the exposure of themselves, their crew and their boat to such inherent risk whilst taking part in the event;

(b) They are responsible for the safety of themselves, their crew, their boat and their other property whether afloat or ashore;

(c) They accept responsibility for any injury, damage or loss to the extent caused by their own actions or omissions;

(d) Their boat is in good order, equipped to sail in the event and they are fit to participate;

(e) The provision of a race management team, patrol boats and other officials and volunteers by the event organizer does not relieve them of their own responsibilities;

(f) The provision of patrol boat cover is limited to such assistance, particularly in extreme weather conditions, as can be practically provided in the circumstances;

(g) It is their responsibility to familiarise themselves with any risks specific to this venue or this event drawn to their attention in any rules and information produced for the venue or event and to attend any safety briefing held for the event. 23. INSURANCE 23.1. Each participating boat shall be insured with valid third-party liability insurance with a minimum cover of £2,000,000 per incident or the equivalent.

210521 merlin f15 nor v4 Page 3 24. PRIZES 24.1. Prizes will be given for the winners of each event. Additional prizes may be awarded depending on number of boats competing. 25. FURTHER INFORMATION 25.1. COVID-19 INFORMATION 25.1.1. Note that changing rooms and showers are expected to be available but may be on a tally system. 25.1.2. COVID-19 guidelines in operation at the event may restrict the support boat provision; consequently the upper wind limit for racing may be reduced. 25.1.3. On Thursday 10th June at 20:00 a final decision will be made on whether the event can proceed based on the forecast wind strength and any change in COVID-19 restrictions. In the event of any cancellation a notice will appear on the GWSC website by this time and full refunds of the entry fees will be given. 25.2. GENERAL Campers and camper vans are welcome. and pre booking is available online at https://webcollect.org.uk/grafham/category/open-events-1. Pre-booking of camper vans is essential. There is a charge of £15 per night for Campervans, £10 per night for Camping (please note – NO caravans – our lease does not allow them). All day cafeteria both days, food will be available on Saturday after sailing and should be pre-booked before going afloat.

We can provide a one course sit down meal for £8 with the bar open in the upstairs bar/lounge area. However we would need a minimum of 20 meals to make this service viable but can only sit a maximum of 55. This restriction is to comply with current COVID regulations. If we don’t get the minimum take up for food then the opening of the bar also not viable. The way this would be managed is:

- We provide a reservation facility (make your menu choice and pay on the day) for a sit down meal on our web site at the same web location as you book camp/cv spaces/enter. - If we meet to 20 – 55 requirement by the late entry date we go ahead, if not we will advise by email that we, unfortunately, cannot provide food upstairs as our minimum number has not been met but food will be available, on a take away basis, by booking on the day directly with the cafe. - Food booked on the day for later consumption will be available immediately after sailing and can be eaten outside or inside in the downstairs café (but restricted to 25 people at a time).

Directions to Grafham Water Sailing Club, details of local accommodation, and other information are available on the Club website - http://www.grafham.org .

Entrants and authorised guests are temporary members of Grafham Water Sailing Club during the period of the event and shall comply with Club Rules and Bylaws. Failure to observe these may result in exclusion from the club premises.

25.3. MOVEMENT OF BOATS TO GRAFHAM WATER In order to prevent the spread of non-native species there is a requirement to ensure that boats are clean before they visit the site using the principle of Check Clean Dry http://www.nonnativespecies.org/checkcleandry/index.cfm . This includes:

CHECK your equipment and clothing for live organisms – particularly in areas that are damp or hard to inspect.

CLEAN and wash equipment, footwear and clothing thoroughly. If you do come across any organisms, leave them at the water body where you found them.

210521 merlin f15 nor v4 Page 4 DRY all equipment and clothing – some species can live for many days in moist conditions. Make sure you don’t transfer water elsewhere.

Anglian Water ask for boats and equipment, arriving at Grafham Water that are from the following locations, to have been clean and dry for at least two days prior to arrival – if not, then they must not be launched at the Club:

• and near to Staines • The • Queen Elizabeth II/Bessborough • • Warwick East Reservoir, Warwick West Reservoir and William Girling Reservoir all located in the Lee Valley

25.4. MOVEMENT OF BOATS FROM GRAFHAM WATER A non-native species of fresh-water (commonly known as killer shrimps) have been found in Grafham Water and certain restrictions on boat movement have been imposed by AW, DEFRA or other bodies to prevent the spread of these to other locations in the UK. These requirements are prominently displayed on the club premises and will include washing boats and equipment before removal from the Club premises.

Failure to comply with the requirements of these restrictions may lead to expulsion from the event.

25.5 PHOTOGRAPHER Professional Photographs - Our photography partner, Paul Sanwell of OP Photography will be taking action photographs of the event. These images can be viewed and purchased the day after the event on the Grafham Water SC photo-gallery at www.grafham.org/photos .

APPENDIX 1 – SITE PLAN

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